San Antonio Ranks #2 on List of "Best Military Metros for Military Retirees" (Austin: lofts, houses)

[Bo]

https://www.usaa.com/inet/ent_utils/..._fb_bestplaces

USAA worked with Military.com to develop this first-of-its-kind ranking that recognizes the best places in the nation for military men and women to reside after retiring from their first career with the armed forces and beginning their second career as a civilian. The rankings are a resource to help military retirees find locales offering a high quality of life while making the most of military retiree benefits.

San Antonio is ranked #2 after Oklahoma City under the "Military Metros" tab of "Additional Best Places Rankings by Category"

[Dopo]

#2 among military metros
"Military metros are areas with more than 5,000 active duty personnel stationed within the metro area."

But #8 among large cities, Austin is #2

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Dopo

#2 among military metros
"Military metros are areas with more than 5,000 active duty personnel stationed within the metro area."

But #8 among large cities, Austin is #2

Which ranking matters more probably depends on what the retiree is looking for. Many I've known like to go on base to take advantage of discount shopping. AFAIK, there are no PXes in Austin.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by Bowie

Which ranking matters more probably depends on what the retiree is looking for. Many I've known like to go on base to take advantage of discount shopping. AFAIK, there are no PXes in Austin.

There is a mid-sized exchange on Camp Mabry, but it's not nearly as large as the ones on Lackland, Randolph or Ft Sam.

But I would say that study got it wrong, I would put SA over OKC in terms of retiree opportunities. It all depends on their definition of "retired," if they mean "retired retired" (as in the play golf all day), then maybe; but if your a "second career retiree" like myself (retired from the military but still working), I think SA offers a lot more. For one, the job market with the three main bases here and the soon-to-be-opening NSA facility mean there are a lot of government and contracting positions available. Outside of the Washington-Baltimore corridor, I don't think there is anyplace that has more than San Antonio.

Secondly, the cost of living makes your retirement pay go pretty far in SA. It isn't enough to "live on" if you have kids and "rich tastes;" but for most folks it is a healthy part of their overall income. Sure, salaries may be lower than in the DC area; but so are houses and everything else and overall I would say the "comfort level" is pretty high for retirees.

Lastly, for the time being we have to huge military medical facilities at BAMC and WHMC. Yes, the latter will be "downsized" to an "über-clinic" in a few years; but even then it will still have a lot of services available. Plus there is a clinic at Camp Bullis, as well as the Audie Murphy VA Medical Center.

I researched this pretty thoroughly when I came close to retirement, and found that all factors put San Antonio at the top of the list for places to live. Add in the great weather, people and things to do in this area; as well as the beauty of the Hill Country, and there really wasn't much competition.

I know this was posted as a compliment to SA, but I still think they sold the city short by ranking it #2. It really deserves to be at the top of the list!

Cheers! M2

[ztatart]

well i guess i should quit complaining that my husbands AF career has only taken us to SA and OKC (and back....and back....) and now that we will probably be stuck w/ our P.O.S. Medallion Home, we may *have* to retire in SA

[Mom2Feebs]

OKC??? Wow. Didn't see that one coming.

[fritos56]

Well, didn't know that about OKC.My dad was stationed at Security Service at Kelly AFB back in the 1950s and 60s. Then we went to Elmendorf in Alaska and then he was at NSA at Fort Meade, Maryland.They begged him to stay, but he said he was tired of the spy game and wanted to retire and not on the East Coast.To him there were too many people and it was dirty,etc.You wouldn't belive all the trash people dumped on the back roads around there .
So he put in for Randolph AFB near San Antonio and retired from there in 1975 after 33 years in the AirForce.To my parents San Antonio felt like home, and they didn't want in old age to deal with milwaukee or Buffalo winters,Buffalo,NY being where they met. The area has a lot to offer and i still live here,though both are gone now. I think San Antonio has a lot more to offer that OKC.

[BegoniaRed]

Was surprised at Ok. as well. BAMC is expanding, and I expect a lot of patients to be funneled there instead of Walter Reed. Agree that lower cost of living and overall tax burden makes Texas a great retirement area.

[Stabart47]

I'm not surprised at all by OKC being ranked high. Our kids chose to go to college and stay in OK for their careers. OKC is much cleaner with a smaller version of the Riverwalk called Bricktown which is spotless and much safer. They are building lofts and new restaurants there all the time. You have four seasons, a fantastic and clean airport, Tinker AFB for military support, way lower property taxes, and all the basic shopping malls/department stores. The community college is excellent, not to mention OU, UCO, and even OSU not far away. Edmond and Guthrie are two wonderful alternatives to living right in OKC.

[doss1]

^Agreed, but dang the wind...way too windy up there. Also, quite cold (which I don't mind).